New rules for recruiting board members of public institutions

The government has set out changes for how public institutions recruit board members.

The changes will make the process quicker and more efficient, with the aim of securing the best possible talent.

The rules will apply to organisations like Ofcom, National Highways, the Civil Aviation Authority and the British Museum.

The old system saw only 13 per cent of hiring campaigns completed within three months in 2023-24.

Now ministers can choose to have less involvement in recruiting board members of public institutions. Instead of needing to be consulted at every intermediate stage, this can now be done by officials.

Ministers will still be required, at a minimum, to agree the role specification and the final decision on each appointment.

Under the previous rules, a candidate’s details were only kept on a reserve list for 12 months, but now they will be kept for up to two years, meaning that they can be placed into similar roles without running an entirely new campaign.

The list of public appointments made by the Prime Minister, those made by the Crown on the Prime Minister’s recommendation, and those in which the Prime Minister has a strong interest, will be published on GOV.UK.

Speaking about the changes, Nick Thomas-Symonds, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "Our public bodies work hard to serve the public every day.

"It’s high time we shake things up and make it easier to get the best people into these organisations.

"The government is breaking down barriers to radically reform the state and deliver a decade of national renewal."